HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0777.020 1996-1998
' To: All Council Members Date. 5/5/98
j From: Ron Sakata Subject: Anima ontrol Contract
Good morning Mr. Chairman and Council Members. My name is Ronald Sakata
and I am a former Humane Officer for Hawaii Island Humane Society. I was employed
there from 1995 - 98. I would like to go on record as saying that I think there is a
very serious lack of animal control on this island. The only formal training that I
received was at a county building in Hilo on how to fill out citations. This took place two
years after I was hired. All of the other training I received was from other Humane
Officers. It was very frustrating to work for two years as a Humane Officer without a
badge, people don't take you seriously and you can not enforce the laws and write
citations. The officers should be able to turn to their director for guidance. But, because
the executive director was never an Animal Control Officer or had any background in law j
enforcement, the Officers felt that many of her decisions were wrong. According to the j _
Animal Control Contract, it is the responsibility of the society's board of directors o r
to assure the people that are hired to be in charge of animal control are qualified in 1 0
that capacity. I don't think this has been happening, but if you were the one to speak
up, you were written up for having a negative attitude, and of course if any former
employee tries to set things straight, and make them better, they are labeled as a
"disgruntled employee". While employed by HIHS, I was even told that I could not 1
speak to any board members or volunteers on my own time. 8
I was accused of not showing up for a training class when Cynthia Tai of the prosecutor's
office came to the Kona shelter in January of `98. This class was scheduled during my
vacation, which had already been approved by the executive director and the shelter
manager. When I was terminated, I was told that because I did not show up for this class,
during my vacation, they felt that I "didn't love my job enough, so the Humane
Society was going to look for other opportunities". This was not true, I loved my job
very much and wanted to make "Animal Control" my career.
In two instances I was called by the Police Department to remove dogs from someone's
property. The first time was because the owner of two very vicious and starving pit bulls
was in jail, and the Police did not know when he would be released. The dogs were skin
and bones, and their chains had cut way into their necks. My manager, Madelyn Barrea,
and I were taught to do what was in the best interest of the animal. I felt that if I left the
dogs there, they could die, and besides, the Police had told me to remove the dogs. The
other instance was* when the Police told me to remove a dog that had been deemed
vicious for killing someone's sheep. The dog was seen loose on the sheep owners
property again. I called my manager, Jack Cox, and told him the situation and that the
police told me to remove the dog. He said it was "OK". The Police met me at the
residence, where I removed the dog under their orders. Lisa Fowler put me on
suspension for these instances because the dogs were taken without a warrant, and she
took away my badge. When Jack and I met with Lisa concerning this issue, he did not
back me up, and let her know that he had approved the dog being removed.
I hope all of the Council Members will be able to sort through all of the paper work you
have received and do what is best for the community and the animals, and concern
yourselves with the lack of animal control that is not being done according to the
contract, lack of proper training for the officers, and that the taxpayeo w%1i"bjs l._{._ZD-
being spent properly. File No F\ r.? T.
If you have any questions, I will be happy to answer them W. 1bf Presente F
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JUL 2 1 1998
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